SWMI Steelheaders Presents

Trolling with the troops

As you all have probably already heard, we have our date set for this years event. If you haven't, it is scheduled for August 17th this year which is a Saturday.

Unlike last year there will be signups until we have enough standby Vets to cover drops. Which on that note, if you signup, you are committing to being here for the event. I have been burned twice so far by veterans that sign up and do a no call no show, some call the night before with some pretty lame excuses. If you are unsure you can make it please don't sign up until you know for sure. There are veterans that missed out that could have had a great time.

We are still looking for sponsors as well. If you know a business or individual that is looking to help veterans out, send them our way. If you are not a veteran or boat captain and would like to volunteer to help us out in some way, feel free to email us or contact us on our facebook page and we will see what we can do.

Thank you all and look forward to another great year with some awesome people.

With the 2018 event coming to a close, we would like to thank everyone that participated, donated, sponsored, or even just showed up to support the event.

We doubled the signups for both veterans and captains from last year and we needed every single one of you to make sure this event has become what it is. We also need to put a shout out to all our sponsors this year, big and small, because without all of your donations, monetarily and otherwise, this would just be another fishing trip, all of sponsors and donors help us take the event to another level that I feel really drives the point home we love and care about our veterans.

Extra special shout out to the American Legion post 568, auxiliary, and sons, Whirlpool, Mary from The Diet Center of St. Joseph, Pier 1000, and Veterans United Foundation for your unselfish donation and dedication to all that have worn the uniform both in peace time and at war. We appreciate your support and thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

If it weren't for your support, help, and dedication to this event, I wouldn't have much to look forward to each year, I want to thank you all for taking my idea and making grow beyond my wildest dreams and control. It really means a lot and I look forward to working with all of you for as many years to come as we can keep it going.

If you are traveling here for the event and would like to get in a day early to avoid the drive early in the morning, we have secured a great deal at a local hotel.

The Holiday Inn express and suites on hilltop road in St. Joseph has given us a rate of $99 for the night before the event. Call 877 666 3243 and mention Trolling with the Troops event staying the night of August 23rd to get the rate. If you're wanting to book online, go to our Facebook page and click the link we posted.

More may be coming so please keep an eye out and send an email to twttswmi@gmail.com and let us know what hotel and room you're if you need a ride in the morning courtesy of the American Red Cross in St. Joseph.

We have added a sponsor/donation page to showcase those that support us and our mission. Please click on the Sponsors link above and support them. If anyone would like to donate to the cause please feel free to contact us at twttswmi@gmail.com If I am missing anyone from the Sponsor page please let us know as well and I will get you added ASAP!

With a short amount of time to put the event together, everyone behind the scenes came through in superb fashion. There were some logistical issues, a boat snapped a drive shaft just a couple days before the event and had some trouble finding a place for that boats Veterans to still be able to go. We also had a lot more Veterans sign up than we had boat spaces, hopefully we will have more Captain volunteers this year and early word is that our success this year has spread and we could be looking at double the amount of Captains volunteering their time this for 2018.

This was our maiden voyage for this event and a lot of things were learned by myself and have been researching ways to streamline everything. 2018 is starting to take shape and I am full on trying to get things in order way ahead of time to hopefully curtail any problems that may come up way before the day. With the help of co-founder Coho Bob Lausman and the Southwest Michigan Steelheaders board members and President Jim Marohn, we hope that this will another amazing event and one that will be talked about the whole year.